Two Individuals Charged in Manhattan Federal Court with Alleged Sex Trafficking of Minors

U.S. Attorney’s Office
October 17, 2013

Southern District of New York(212) 637-2600

FBI New York Press Office(212) 384-2100

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; George Venizelos, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Raymond W. Kelly, the Police Commissioner of the City of New York (NYPD), announced today the arrests of Elfego Boyd and Norman Darby in connection with sex trafficking of minor girls. Boyd was arrested yesterday in the Bronx, New York, and Darby was arrested yesterday in Manhattan. Both defendants were presented yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn and ordered detained pending trial.

According to the allegations in the complaint unsealed yesterday in Manhattan federal court:

From September 2010 through June 2012, the Boyd and Darby had been engaged in a criminal sex trafficking enterprise that recruited and exploited minor girls and then prostituted them using an online classifieds website for the defendants’ profit. The defendants lured minor girls into prostitution by, among other things, targeting runaways, offering the victims shelter, and romancing them. They then took provocative pictures of the minor victims, which the defendants then posted online in an effort to sell the victims for sex.

Minor Victim-1

In September 2010, Minor Victim-1, who was 15 years old at the time, met Boyd in Times Square after running away from her home in Pennsylvania to New York City. Boyd, who introduced himself as “Kush da Dawn,” asked Minor Victim-1 if she wanted to prostitute for him, and she agreed. He then provided food and shelter to Minor Victim-1. While staying with Boyd, Minor Victim-1 also met Darby, who introduced himself as “Black.” Both Boyd and Darby placed advertisements offering Minor Victim-1 for sex using an online classifieds website. The ads did not receive any responses, and Minor Victim-1 left New York City and returned to Pennsylvania a short while later.

In the spring of 2011, Minor Victim-1 traveled from Pennsylvania to New York City, where she again encountered Boyd and stayed at his apartment in the Bronx. Boyd told Minor Victim-1 that he loved her and that they were boyfriend-girlfriend. He then posted online advertisements offering Minor Victim-1 for sex in exchange for money. At Boyd’s direction, Minor Victim-1 had sex in exchange for money with multiple men who responded to those ads, after which Boyd took all the money.

Later, Boyd took Minor Victim-1 to a house in Long Island where she stayed along with Boyd, Darby and others for several months. During that period, Darby and Minor Victim-1 posted advertisements offering her for sex online in exchange for money. At Boyd and Darby’s direction, Minor Victim-1 had sex in exchange for money with several men who responded to those ads at hotels.

Eventually, Boyd returned to New York City with Minor Victim-1. At Boyd’s direction, Minor Victim-1 continued to have sex in exchange for money with multiple men who responded to online advertisements, after which Boyd took all the money. Minor Victim-1, who turned 16 years old during the period she was being offered for sex by Boyd and Darby, told Boyd her age on one or more occasions.

In November 2011, after getting into an argument with BOYD, Minor Victim-1 ran away from him.

Minor Victim-2 and Minor Victim-3

Minor Victim-2, who was 15 years old, along with Minor Victim-3, who was 17 years old, met Boyd, who identified himself as “Kush da Dawn,” in Manhattan in the spring of 2012 after running away from Oklahoma (the “Oklahoma victims”). Boyd told the Oklahoma victims he had “connections” and could help them rent a room at a hotel. Instead, Boyd took the Oklahoma victims to his apartment in the Bronx.

Boyd took provocative pictures of the Oklahoma Victims in lingerie he provided and posted the pictures in advertisements online prostituting them. At Boyd’s direction, the Oklahoma victims had sex in exchange for money with multiple men who responded to online advertisements, after which Boyd took half the money.

Minor Victim-3 informed Boyd that she was 17 years old at the time he was prostituting her. In response, Boyd told Minor Victim-3 that he was the only one who needed to know her age.

* * *

Boyd, 27, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, three counts of sex trafficking of minors, and two counts of use of interstate facilities to promote a sex trafficking and prostitution enterprise. Boyd, 32, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, one count of sex trafficking of minors, and one count of use of interstate facilities to promote a sex trafficking and prostitution enterprise. Both defendants face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the NYPD and noted that the investigation is continuing.

The prosecution of this case is being overseen by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrea Griswold and Amy Garzon are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.